Laundry Compositions Having Broad Spectrum Stain Removal

Abstract

Washing or cleaning compositions suitable for removing proteinaceous and non-proteinaceous stains; the compositions include a surfactant and enzyme, wherein the compositions have an alkaline pH; and the invention further relates to uses of such compositions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A washing or cleaning composition suitable for removing proteinaceous and non-proteinaceous stains from a soiled fabric, comprising:
 (a) a surfactant; and   (b) a protease,   wherein the composition has an alkaline pH.   
     
     
         2 . The washing or cleaning composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is in a liquid, gel, or paste form. 
     
     
         3 . The washing or cleaning composition of  claim 1 , wherein the pH is between about pH 9 to about pH 12. 
     
     
         4 . The washing or cleaning composition of  claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of an anionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, a zwitterionic surfactant, an ampholytic surfactant, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The washing or cleaning composition of  claim 4 , wherein the surfactant is an anionic surfactant. 
     
     
         6 . The washing or cleaning composition of  claim 5 , wherein the anionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of a polyethoxylated alcohol sulfate, a water soluble salt of an alkyl benzene sulfonate having between 8 and 22 carbons in the alkyl group, an alkali metal salt of C 10-16  alkyl benzene sulfonic acids, a linear alkyl benzene sulfonate, a sodium or potassium linear straight chain alkylbenzene sulfonate, a salt of alkylsulfosuccinic acid, a fatty acid derivative of amino acids, a saturated fatty acid soap, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The washing or cleaning composition of  claim 5 , wherein the anionic surfactant is an alkyl benzene sulfonic acid. 
     
     
         8 . The washing or cleaning composition of  claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is a nonionic surfactant. 
     
     
         9 . The washing or cleaning composition of  claim 8 , wherein the nonionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of an alkoxylated, ethoxylated, or propoxylated primary alcohol having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms and 1 to 12 moles of ethylene oxide (EO) and/or from 1 to 10 moles of propylene oxide (PO) per mole of alcohol, a fatty alcohol ethoxylate having more than 12 EO, an alkoxylated amine, an alkyl polyglycoside, an alkoxylated, ethoxylated, or ethoxylated and propoxylated fatty acid alkyl ester having 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, an amine oxide, an alcohol ethoxylate, a nonylphenol ethoxylate, an alkylpolyglycoside, an alkyldimethylamineoxide, an ethoxylated fatty acid monoethanolamide, a fatty acid monoethanolamide, a fatty acid (polyhydroxyalkanol)amide, a N-acyl-N-alkyl derivative of glucosamine, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The washing or cleaning composition of  claim 9 , wherein the ethoxylated primary alcohol having 8 to 18 carbon atoms and an average of 1 to 12 moles of ethylene oxide (EO) per mol of alcohol is a C 12 -C 15  alcohol ethoxylate 3EO, a C 12 -C 15  alcohol ethoxylate 7EO, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The washing or cleaning composition of  claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is present in an amount of about 1 to about 25% by weight. 
     
     
         12 . The washing or cleaning composition of  claim 1 , wherein the protease is present in an amount of about 0.1 to about 5% by weight. 
     
     
         13 . The washing or cleaning composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition additionally comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of a defoamer, an anti-redeposition agent, a soil release polymer, a detergency builder, a biocidal agent, an enzyme, a perfume, a dye, a pH buffering agent, an optical brightener, a surfactant, a water-softening agent, a bleach, a solubilizer, and a stain-removing polymer. 
     
     
         14 . The washing or cleaning composition of  claim 13 , wherein the defoamer is a cocofatty acid, and wherein the cocofatty acid is present in an amount of about 0.1 to about 5% by weight. 
     
     
         15 . A unit dose laundry or cleaning composition, comprising:
 (a) the washing or cleaning composition of  claim 1 ; and   (b) a water-soluble film that forms one or more pouches encasing the cleaning composition.   
     
     
         16 . A method of removing proteinaceous and non-proteinaceous stains from a soiled fabric, comprising:
 (a) placing a soiled fabric into a washing chamber;   (b) placing the washing or cleaning composition of  claim 1  into the washing chamber; and   (c) introducing water into the washing chamber and washing the fabric in an aqueous environment such that the washing or cleaning compositions contact the fabric and remove the stains from the fabric.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the proteinaceous stain is a stain from blood, grass, milk, eggs, ink, body soils, baby formula, baby food, bodily fluids, cream, gelatin, cheese, pudding, and school glue. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the non-proteinaceous stain is a stain from chocolate ice cream, coffee, dust sebum, grape juice, BBQ sauce, mud, alcoholic beverages, berries, fruit preserves, tomato juice, vegetable juice, maple syrup, molasses, tea, toothpaste, and wine. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the washing chamber is a washing machine, a tergetometer, or an equivalent device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the method comprises removing stains by hand washing.